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I recently attended a One Direction concert. Here are some of my observations.
Harry is HOT. Like off-the-charts Hot.
I loved the show, except toward the end when Louis hit such a sour note I wanted to scream STOP! He was so off-key it was awful. Shut the mic off awful! Sorry Lou, but it was BAD.
The time between Icona Pop and One Direction was too long.
Girls need to invest in a mirror and learn what sexy is. Sexy is NOT wearing a dress so short that if you move your underwear is on view for everyone to see. Wearing clothing that is way too small is NOT sexy. Letting your asscheeks hang out your shorts is NOT sexy. And one of the weirdest trends….dying your lovely hair gray. That will happen soon enough naturally, enjoy your color while you still have it.
Liam can really sing! He was wonderful.
I would love to have a pint with Niall. The guy looks like he is genuinely having a great time and enjoying life.
IN conclusion, I amassed a ton of ideas for my writing. Getting out and experiencing life is good for a creative person. One time I went to a concert and came back with an idea for a book called Echoes of Us. I wonder what book will come from the OTRA concert?
Xo Teegan

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It’s almost Thanksgiving and I needed a break from my NANO project for a few minutes. I’m getting close to the 50k even if the words are all mixed up and in need of serious editing. I can start that project on December 1st.

So on this little break, I decided I should do a thankful post. So bear with me: I am thankful for my real life family and friends. I am thankful for my online friends who accept me for who I am and offer a cheer or two when things aren’t going how I want them to, which seems to be a lot of times lately…lol…I am thankful for my mini, even if sometimes, she so much like me that I’d like to pull my hair out by the roots. I’m thankful for my fur babies, especially Zoey who always sits next to me when I write. I am thankful for the voices in my head who are sometimes loud and overbearing until I tell their stories. I am thankful for my readers who take the time to read my books and whether you like the stories or not, you have read my words and I am grateful. Ten days ago, Echoes of Us was released and I hope you find the time to check out the story.

And whether you celebrate the holiday or not, may you find something to be thankful for…

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Some say it’s too hot. Some say it’s too cold. Some say shit before they’ve even tasted it. A few say it’s just right and others don’t say a damn thing. I feel like fucking Goldilocks watching the three bears devour my porridge that I worked hard to create and then being forced to listen to them complain because the shit wasn’t perfect.

Ahhhhhh, whew, that felt good to vent. But it’s stops now, because worrying about things I have absolutely NO control over is silly and makes dark circles form under my eyes. It’s not a pretty sight. But you know what is a beautiful sight, opening your mail and physically touching your dream. That’s what I did today.

It took a long time for me to get to this spot in my life and I’m not going to let forces I cannot control spoil the moment. I’m proud of myself for the work it took, for the long hours spent on a computer and for the perseverance to get a book published. I’m not going to focus on the negatives anymore. There’s a lot to celebrate when you reach a goal. That goal can be anything from writing a book to running a 5k to graduating from college …. just insert your own goal. But remember, there will always be people ready and waiting to bring you down. It’s up to you to refuse to let them. Enjoy your moment. That’s what I’m doing

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Soooo….tomorrow is release day for Echoes of Us. I’ll admit I’m nervous. Earlier today I received an email from All Romance E-books telling me the book was available for purchase. I clinked the link and an error message popped up. I searched the site and the book is not there. I wonder why the email showed up? Someone is screwing with me…rolls eyes…

Blurb:Most people think falling in love is a wonderful thing. For Rylan Blake, love only complicates his life. After a disastrous tip home, Rylan and his best friend, Maggie, head back to Chicago to meet their new roommate, Jade Marin, and prepare for their final year of college.

Love is the last think Rylan expects when he meets Jade. But as the two men get to know each other and discover their mutual love of music, friendship becomes more. They compose songs and, at Maggie’s urging, post their work on YouTube-where the videos go viral and a music producer discovers them.

But hitting it big isn’t always a good thing, especially when it comes with a price. When Rylan and Jade sign a deal with a big music company, they’re ordered to hide their relationship from the public and take fake girlfriends. At first, it’s a game, but as their fame grows, Rylan feels forced to choose: Does he stay and live a lie, or does he walk away from a life of fame-and from Jade?

So, in the other words, the book is about music. No matter what I write, there is always music that influences the story. I usually have a playlist for each story. I use music to write difficult scenes, to bring certain emotions to the surface. It’s a simple way for me to get into whatever mood I need.

The initial spark for Echoes of Us was from a song called “Uncover” by Zara Larsson. A particular line in the song set the story on fire. We are a secret, can’t be exposed.

The first time Rylan hears Jade sing, it’s a song I’m sure everyone has heard by some artist. For this story, I used the version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Michael Buble, and I enjoy the odd version by Lick the Tins (it’s from the movie Some Kind of Wonderful) Jade also sings “Stars” by Grace Potter & the Nocturnals.

One of the characters is actually named after a song. Maggie Mae, Rylan’s best friend, is named after the Rod Stewart song “Maggie May.” The characters sang the songs mentioned above, these next few songs were used to evoke emotions when writing a particular scene

Sad by Maroon 5

Secrets by OneRepublic

Take It All by Adele

Tangled Up In You by Staind

And So It Goes by Billy Joel

Music will always be a huge part of my writing. It inspires, it sparks, and it moves me.

Ugh, I’m at a loss for words, but you really can’t blame me because I used them all up working on my NANO project. So what to talk about today? How about the opening quote in the book.

Most people think falling in love is a wonderful thing. It isn’t. It fucking ruins everything.

Yep, that’s my poor baby, Rylan, speaking. He doesn’t really believe in love anymore. I’m hoping Jade can help change his feelings. But the only way you’ll ever find out is to readEchoes of Us…

So tomorrow on day number three, you might want to keep your eye on my twitter feed. I’ve been given strict orders not to reveal much, but something will happen on Twitter tomorrow. For some of us, it will be at Zero Dark thirty. I figure if I have to wake up, you all can be awake too.

I know this was an incredibly short post, but I’m heading back into my NANO doc.

Another giant photo…bwahahaha…So, today, I promised to introduce Jade Marin. Don’t crucify me when you see the picture I used for inspiration. I know it’s Zac Efron.

This photo matched with the image in my brain for Jade. Anyways, since the story is told from Rylan’s POV we don’t get a lot of background on Jade. We do know he doesn’t speak to his family. If I remember correctly, his parents are deceased. I should check my notes before I write these posts, and I know people are rolling their eyes and thinking “she wrote the fucking book, how could she not know her characters?” Let me remind everyone that I wrote Echoes of Us several months ago. In between then and now, I’ve written an entire novel called Picks & Pucks and am knee deep in another new story. None of the stories are related. Hence, character overload. Okay, back to Jade. We meet Jade after he has broken up with his girlfriend and moves in with Rylan and Maggie. Here’s a snippet from Rylan:

But this was Jade, who had quickly found a special place in my life. Images floated through my head. He was the guy who ate chocolate cereal with me after we’d been on a ten-mile bike ride. He was the guy who sat on the deck with me and listened to me shout at the imaginary characters when they wouldn’t cooperate in my stories. He was the guy who lay on my bed and wrote songs with me with his ankle hooked around mine. And every time I tried to shift away from him, he mirrored my movements, never letting me get too far away. All the random touches, the wrestling, the shoulder bumping, and the shy smiles started to add up in my head.

Awww, sweet boys…So, if this has sparked your interest, their story is available for pre-order at Dreamspinner

Today I’m going to introduce my main character to you. When I start working on a new story, the first thing that happens is I name the main character. The first name is always easier than the last name. I knew I wanted to name my MC, Rylan, so I combed sports team rosters to find a suitable last name. After he has a name, the next step is picturing him in my mind. I knew I wanted him blond and one day, while I was lost on Tumblr, the picture below popped into my feed and I found my Rylan. I have no idea who this is, but he’s perfect.

Once a picture is found, things move quickly. It’s much easier for me to visual him as a real person now. I created his family and that set up the opening scene of the book. Rylan left the family farm immediately after he graduated from high school. He never came out to his family, but they all knew and didn’t offer any support to him. He moved to Chicago to attend college and met his best friend, Maggie Mae Stewart. And yes, she is named for the song by Rod Stewart. The book opens with Rylan going home for his mother’s 50th birthday celebration. He drags Maggie along and things do not go well for him.

My journey writing Rylan was fun and heart-wrenching and satisfying. I can only hope that for those who choose to read Echoes of Uswill fall in love with Rylan too. Tomorrow, I’ll introduce Jade.